1920.] Western Australian Birch. 711 



there at night. When Mr. Highain and I visited Augnsta 

 in April 1919, we failed to see any Owls, althongh 

 we went out along this road several times after dark on 

 purpose to obtain specimens. There were no forest fires 

 there on this occasion. Referring to my remarks in 'Emn,' 

 vol. iii. p. )55, respecting some large unidentified Owl that 

 occurs in the ranges of the North-West Cape peninsula, T 

 had corroborative evidence on my trip there in 1916, when 

 I was camped close to the foot of the ranges on 28 July with 

 two black fellows sleeping a short distance from me. I was 

 roused from my sleep by weird cries that resembled the 

 howling of dingoes (wild dogs). After listening for a few 

 moments, I heard the blacks excitedly talking, and I called 

 to them to ask if the dingoes were crying. They at once 

 replied : " Nothing dingo, that fellow debbil I'dovil) bird." 

 When I was staying at Mr. Campbell's station a few miles 

 off, shortly afterwards, he asked me if I knew what sort 

 of bird it was " that howds at night just like a dingo. '^ 

 He said that he had heard the noise on several occasions, but 

 had never seen the bird. 



Glossopsitta porphyrocephala whitlocki. 



Western Purple-crowned Lorikeets were exceptionally 

 scarce about Broome Hill in ]March 1919, owing to the 

 absence of blossoms on the white-gum trees, the honey of 

 which and other varieties of Eucalyptus is their favourite 

 food. The only district wdiere they were common that 

 year was around Augusta, where the red-gum trees were 

 in full bloom. These Lorikeets do not occur as far north 

 as Carnarvon. 



Calyptorhynchus magnificus naso. 



Red-tailed ( *ockatoos were very abundant about Lake 

 Muir in January ]916, so much so that when shooting for 

 food I sometimes shot them for this purpose, as they are 

 easily obtained, but there is not much meat on them. They 

 feed largely on the seeds contained in the extremely hard 

 " nuts " of the red gum, and betray their presence at a long 



SER. XI. VOL. II. 3 B 



